Medicalization of female genital mutilation. Harm reduction or unethicalα

TY - JOUR

T1 - Medicalization of female genital mutilation. Harm reduction or unethicalα

AU - Pearce, Andrew J.

AU - Bewley, Susan

PY - 2014/1

Y1 - 2014/1

N2 - Female genital mutilation (FGM) is estimated to have affected over 100 million girls and women worldwide. Despite no health benefits, around 18% of procedures are carried out by healthcare workers. The central argument for medicalization is the concept of harm reduction. This means mitigating acute complications, by using aseptic techniques and anaesthetic, whilst also promoting symbolic procedures over more radical forms of FGM. Other arguments include critical analysis of the long term health consequences of FGM, hypocrisy in the medical establishment and potential social benefits. Groups against medicalized FGM point to long lasting health and psychosexual consequences. They also argue that it would not be compatible with medical ethics as well as several human rights agreements. Moreover, rather than helping end the practice, they argue that medicalizing FGM will only entrench the practice and cause more harm to women. This article explores arguments for and against medicalized forms of FGM.

AB - Female genital mutilation (FGM) is estimated to have affected over 100 million girls and women worldwide. Despite no health benefits, around 18% of procedures are carried out by healthcare workers. The central argument for medicalization is the concept of harm reduction. This means mitigating acute complications, by using aseptic techniques and anaesthetic, whilst also promoting symbolic procedures over more radical forms of FGM. Other arguments include critical analysis of the long term health consequences of FGM, hypocrisy in the medical establishment and potential social benefits. Groups against medicalized FGM point to long lasting health and psychosexual consequences. They also argue that it would not be compatible with medical ethics as well as several human rights agreements. Moreover, rather than helping end the practice, they argue that medicalizing FGM will only entrench the practice and cause more harm to women. This article explores arguments for and against medicalized forms of FGM.

KW - Circumcision, female

KW - Ethics

KW - Female

KW - Genital mutilation

KW - Harm reduction

KW - Infibulation

KW - Medical

KW - Medicalization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84891165910&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.ogrm.2013.11.003

DO - 10.1016/j.ogrm.2013.11.003

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:84891165910

SN - 1751-7214

VL - 24

SP - 29

EP - 30

JO - Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine

JF - Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Reproductive Medicine

IS - 1

ER -